A Statement of Information Form (sometimes referred to as a D81 Form) is the form that you must complete when filing a financial Consent Order (the order detailing the financial settlement you have reached) with the Court.
The purpose of a Statement of Information Form is to set out a summary of the facts of your case to the Court and to give the Court details of your financial positions both before and after the agreement has been implemented. Parties can complete their own forms or complete a form jointly. In the majority of cases forms are completed jointly and this is very much what the Court encourage.
What information is included in a Statement of Information Form?
The form contains very basic financial disclosure and no supporting documents are required. The Statement of Information Form contains information such as:-
- The date of your marriage.
- Your date of birth and any children’s date of birth.
- An explanation as to how the financial settlement between you and your spouse has been reached.
- Your current capital and income together with your capital and income position after implementation of the Consent Order.
- The reasons for the proposed division of assets.
- An explanation of how you will each support yourselves if maintenance claims are being dismissed.
- Confirmation that notice has been given to a mortgage provider where an agreement includes the transfer of a property.
- Confirmation that notice has been given to a pension provider where the agreement includes a pension sharing or pension attachment order.
- A summary of where you both (and any children) will live.
- Details of any new relationships.
Why do I need to complete a Statement of Information Form?
The Court needs this information to help it decide if the agreement that you have reached is fair and reasonable in all the circumstances of your case.
Quite understandably separated couples can be reluctant to share their financial information, especially where they have been separated for some time before reaching a financial settlement. However, it is a requirement of the Court and unfortunately, there is no way around this requirement. Both parties are required to sign the Statement of Information Form in two separate places, one to state that the information they have given within the form is ‘true and accurate’ and the other to confirm that they have seen the form fully completed by their spouse. It is very important therefore that your spouse does see the information you provide for your Statement of Information Form.
The Family team at Stephens Scown can advise you in relation to a Consent Order or Statement of Information, or in relation to a financial settlement generally. Please do get in touch.